Monday, July 30, 2012

Adventures in Nannying: Part Seven

This was a glorious week filled with half days. I arrived after they had finished soccer camp around noon, Monday through Wednesday, and got to leave at 5 or 5:30 every afternoon. No complaints here...except for that one time she was late when Tyler was waiting for me at home. So inconsiderate!

So...to the highlights!After ferrying them around all week the gas in my tank was a little low so we drove through a 7/11. I used a credit card to pay (a concept they have yet to grasp, I believe) which caused Brother to pipe up as I drove off with a full gas tank, "um Taylor, did we pay for the gas?" No, dearest, we are gas bandits! They were all out of the lunch staples of life at home (Kraft Mac&Cheese and hot dogs) so I had to get creative. I served tacos in the shape of a dragonfly/butterfly, using fruit for the eyes and tail, on Monday and whipped up a batch of homemade macaroni and cheese on Tuesday. The tacos went well..I suppose. Although, they asked why they were shaped so strangely and didn't see the insect arrangement until I pointed it out. Sister barely touched her shells on Tuesday, claiming that she "likes the kind from the box that you just follow the directions for" but Brother shoveled in his cheesy pile at an astounding rate. You can't win 'em all. Frozen pizza sufficed for a midday meal on Wednesday and I got to take them to Slim Chickens (heaven in a chicken strip) on Thursday.

I love when they have play dates. My job gets immensely easier. I actually got to sit by the pool and finish an entire book on Tuesday while the kids splashed in the water. But one playmate bragged about her trip to Italy entirely too much. She is eight; she can't possibly appreciate the cities of Pompeii and Rome like I would! Bitter? You bet.

They challenged me to spell Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. I only made one mistake. I don't know how many I made just now. As I wracked my brain for the phonetic spelling I saw Sister out of the corner of my eye. She casually helped herself to my phone and typed in my password without batting an eye. I don't what she thought she would find; I deleted all games once I found out how crazy they were about Temple Run and Cut the Rope.

On Wednesday I narrowly escaped giving a lesson on the birds and the bees. Poolside playtime led them to a discovery. "Taylor come look! It's two dragonflies stuck together!" Leave them alone kids, no one likes to be watched when they're getting it on. I helped them make cookie cakes on Thursday and gave them free reign in the decorating department. Coated in icing and generously doused in sprinkles, I'm curious to see how many slices remain tomorrow. I learned a valuable lesson in my homemaking rustlings: sprinkles are to baking as glitter is to crafting.

I took a quick shower at their home before heading off to Norman on Thursday and as I emerged from the bathroom Brother took one look at my hair and didn't hesitate, "I can see what you mean about looking homeless when your hair is wet" while Sister chimed in helpfully, "Maybe you should put it up?" Self-esteem boosts all day erryday! I solemnly clamped my lips together to keep the giggles inside, but nearly lost it when Sister yelled after me as I bounded out the door, "Hey, don't you wanna put your hair up? I know you're going to see your boyfriend!" I'm going to miss the inadvertent one-liners. I've only got three days left as A Very Lucky Nanny.